When Paul Simon dropped the single “Mother and Child Reunion” in 1972, fans wondered: Was the song about adoption? Or was it about his dog? Simon later cleared things up explaining that the inspiration was a chicken-and-egg dish on a Chinese restaurant menu. These four chicken-and-egg variations could prove just as inspirational. 

What Came First

Jeff Sladicka, director of culinary, Public School 213, Los Angeles

Price: $14

Public School, with its eight unique locations across the country, is a cool-school themed restaurant that’s offering “an education in the art of food and beer,” as the tagline says. At the downtown LA location, Public School 213, What Came First is one of the offbeat burgers on the menu, alongside a PB&J burger and a Colorado lamb burger. What Came First is a chicken burger topped with smoky tomato jam, blue cheese dressing, bacon lardons and a fried egg. 

What the Cluck

Wendy Wu, co-owner, Wild Chix & Waffles, Austin, Texas

Price: $9.95

The unlikely inspiration for Wendy Wu’s Wild Chix & Waffles is decidedly un-Southern. It was her impressions of Paris cafes — the leisurely and sacred enjoyment of food and gathering of people — that stayed with Wu when she opened her sweet-and-savory waffle house that also offers drinks ranging from matcha latte to local craft brews and the 48 oz. Big Clucking Margarita. What the Cluck is a savory selection with maple-glazed fried chicken, thick-cut bacon, housemade sriracha mayo, cheese and a sunnyside-up egg. 

Sunny Side Up ostrich egg with chicken sausage

Brandon Sloan, chef de cuisine, Provisional Kitchen Café and Mercantile, San Diego

Price: $75

Did you know one ostrich egg equals about 16 chicken eggs? The eggs are six inches in diameter. Provisional Kitchen, located inside Pendry San Diego, a luxe hotel in the Gaslamp Quarter, gets the giant ostrich eggs from a farm in nearby Escondido, Calif., for a brunch item that can feed four. The stunning plate also includes chicken sausage, a toasted baguette, and roasted vegetables. 

Brunch chicken and grits

Josh Kulp and Christine Cikowski, chefs and co-owners, Honey Butter Fried Chicken, Chicago

Price: $12

Make no bones about it, the only bones in chicken you’ll find at Honey Butter Fried Chicken are in the drumsticks. All the rest of the humanely raised chicken is gloriously boneless, crunchy and downright addictive, complete with cute corn muffins on the side. This brunch item is a total eye opener, with creamy grits topped with crunchy chicken, an egg and thinly sliced scallions.